GU take on visiting AS Vita of the DRC in a 6pm kick off.
However, it emerged this morning, during a press briefing, that the venue had been booked by The Everlasting Light of Hope International Ministries for a church service.
The occasion dubbed ‘Botswana For Christ Crusade With Wiseman Daniel’ is to be held on September Friday and Saturday while the Reds are to play at the venue a day later. As per social media activities, the Nigerian preacher, Wiseman Daniel, real names Daniel Emelandu Udochukwu has arrived in the country and is ready for the two-day event.
However, GU’s director Nicholas Zakhem is adamant that the team’s Champions League tie will proceed as planned. The venue will only be availed to GU on the morning of their game against AS Vita but Zakhem said the club will not look for an alternative just a few days before the tie. “Where I come from, stadiums are made for sports not for church gatherings.
I respect every religion and I respect everybody but stadiums are called sports facilities (not) never been called church facilities. The second thing is when we were going on CAF assignment, you would not know your position until the end of the season that you will be playing CAF. You would not know who you will be playing against, at what date and what time.
So it is very difficult to go and say to the sports commission (BNSC) we are playing on that particular day so assist us (sic),” Zakhem said. Zakhem said while the church service organisers had reserved the venue in March, the club would not deny their supporters a chance to watch CAF Champions League football by making way for the religious event.
“Unfortunately and I am telling you now, the venue was booked for that religious festival. Now as football people what do you do, we are a team that is based in Gaborone, we play our home games in Gaborone.
We are not going to play in South Africa, Lesotho, neither, Jwaneng, Orapa or Francistown with due respect. Zebras are a national team so they can play anywhere, but we are a Gaborone-based team and if we move to another city we will be denying our supporters a chance to watch our game. It was bit of misunderstanding and confusing but I can assure you that we are playing on Sunday at 6pm against AS Vita from the DRC,” Zakhem said.
AS Vita is expected to arrive in Gaborone on Friday and GU’s brand and marketing manager, Herbert Letsebe said the club is seeking an alternative venue for the visiting team’s training session. Tickets for the tie are on sale at GU office in the Village location in Gaborone.
Grand Stand tickets are selling at P50 while the rest of the stands are priced at P30. The game will be televised live on Botswana Television (BTV), GU officials said.
